20101126 - Diagram - Focus Group as a Qualitative research method

Focus Group is one of the Qualitative research methods. Source: http://www.powerdecisions.com/qualitative-market-research.cfm

20101126 - Peek & Fothergill, Using Focus Groups for Qualitative Research

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine focus groups as a qualitative research method. We describe and evaluate the use of focus groups based on three separate research projects: * a study of teachers, parents, and children at two urban daycare centers, * a study of the responses of second-generation Muslim Americans to the events of September 11, and * a collaborative project on the experiences of children and youth following Hurricane Katrina. By examining three diverse projects, we are able to illustrate some of the strengths and challenges of the focus group as a sociological research method. In addition, in this article we provide practical advice regarding the design and implementation of focus groups, including information on participant recruitment, the most effective group size, group composition and issues of segmentation, how to carry out focus groups, and the ideal number of groups to conduct. Peek, Lori. and Fothergill, Alice. "Using Focus Groups for Qualitative Research" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, TBA, New York, New York City, Aug 11, 2007 <Not Available>. 2010-10-25 <http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p183125_index.html> Peek, L. and Fothergill, A. , 2007-08-11 "Using Focus Groups for Qualitative Research" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, TBA, New York, New York City Online <APPLICATION/PDF>. 2010-10-25 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p183125_index.html Source: http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/1/8/3/1/2/p183125_index.html Full document in HTML: http://www.allacademic.com//meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/1/8/3/1/2/pages183125/p183125-1.php

20101126 - Focus Group research method (Gibbs)

Focus Groups Anita Gibbs Dr Anita Gibbs is a Research Officer at the Probation Studies Unit, Centre for Criminological Research, Oxford University. This article arises out of a review of focus group methodology conducted for the Department of Social Medicine at Bristol University in March 1997. · Focus group research involves organised discussion with a selected group of individuals to gain information about their views and experiences of a topic. · Focus group interviewing is particularly suited for obtaining several perspectives about the same topic. · The benefits of focus group research include gaining insights into people's shared understandings of everyday life and the ways in which individuals are influenced by others in a group situation. · Problems arise when attempting to identify the individual view from the group view, as well as in the practical arrangements for conducting focus groups. · The role of the moderator is very significant. Good levels of group leadership and interpersonal skill are required to moderate a group successfully. Focus groups are under-used in social research, although they have a long history in market research (Morgan 1988), and more recently in medical research (Powell & Single 1996). This Update examines the value of focus groups as a tool for social researchers and considers their potential and their limitations. What are focus groups? There are many definitions of a focus group in the literature, but features like organised discussion (Kitzinger 1994), collective activity (Powell et al 1996), social events (Goss & Leinbach 1996) and interaction (Kitzinger 1995) identify the contribution that focus groups make to social research. Powell et al define a focus group as a group of individuals selected and assembled by researchers to discuss and comment on, from personal experience, the topic that is the subject of the research. (1996: 499) Focus groups are a form of group interviewing but it is important to distinguish between the two. Group interviewing involves interviewing a number of people at the same time, the emphasis being on questions and responses between the researcher and participants. Focus groups however rely on interaction within the group based on topics that are supplied by the researcher. (Morgan 1997: 12) Hence the key characteristic which distinguishes focus groups is the insight and data produced by the interaction between participants. Merton and Kendall's (1946) influential article on the focused interview set the parameters for focus group development. This was in terms of ensuring that participants have a specific experience of or opinion about the topic under investigation; that an explicit interview guide is used; and that the subjective experiences of participants are explored in relation to predetermined research questions. Why use focus groups and not other methods? The main purpose of focus group research is to draw upon respondents' attitudes, feelings, beliefs, experiences and reactions in a way in which would not be feasible using other methods, for example observation, one-to-one interviewing, or questionnaire surveys. These attitudes, feelings and beliefs may be partially independent of a group or its social setting, but are more likely to be revealed via the social gathering and the interaction which being in a focus group entails. Compared to individual interviews, which aim to obtain individual attitudes, beliefs and feelings, focus groups elicit a multiplicity of views and emotional processes within a group context. The individual interview is easier for the researcher to control than a focus group in which participants may take the initiative. Compared to observation, a focus group enables the researcher to gain a larger amount of information in a shorter period of time. Observational methods tend to depend on waiting for things to happen, whereas the researcher follows an interview guide in a focus group. In this sense focus groups are not natural but organised events. Focus groups are particularly useful when there are power differences between the participants and decision-makers or professionals, when the everyday use of language and culture of particular groups is of interest, and when one wants to explore the degree of consensus on a given topic (Morgan & Kreuger 1993). The role of focus groups Focus groups can be used at the preliminary or exploratory stages of a study (Kreuger 1988); during a study, perhaps to evaluate or develop a particular programme of activities (Race et al 1994); or after a programme has been completed, to assess its impact or to generate further avenues of research. They can be used either as a method in their own right or as a complement to other methods, especially for triangulation (Morgan 1988) and validity checking. Focus groups can help to explore or generate hypotheses (Powell & Single 1996) and develop questions or concepts for questionnaires and interview guides (Hoppe et al 1995; Lankshear 1993). They are however limited in terms of their ability to generalise findings to a whole population, mainly because of the small numbers of people participating and the likelihood that the participants will not be a representative sample. Examples of research in which focus groups have been employed include developing HIV education in Zimbabwe (Munodawafa et al 1995), understanding how media messages are processed (Kitzinger 1994 & 1995), exploring people's fear of woodlands (Burgess 1996) and distance interviewing of family doctors (White & Thomson 1995). Potential and Limitations Kitzinger (1994, 1995) argues that interaction is the crucial feature of focus groups because the interaction between participants highlights their view of the world, the language they use about an issue and their values and beliefs about a situation. Interaction also enables participants to ask questions of each other, as well as to re-evaluate and reconsider their own understandings of their specific experiences. Another benefit is that focus groups elicit information in a way which allows researchers to find out why an issue is salient, as well as what is salient about it (Morgan 1988). As a result, the gap between what people say and what they do can be better understood (Lankshear 1993). If multiple understandings and meanings are revealed by participants, multiple explanations of their behaviour and attitudes will be more readily articulated. The benefits to participants of focus group research should not be underestimated. The opportunity to be involved in decision making processes (Race et al 1994), to be valued as experts, and to be given the chance to work collaboratively with researchers (Goss & Leinbach 1996) can be empowering for many participants. If a group works well, trust develops and the group may explore solutions to a particular problem as a unit (Kitzinger 1995), rather than as individuals. Not everyone will experience these benefits, as focus groups can also be intimidating at times, especially for inarticulate or shy members. Hence focus groups are not empowering for all participants and other methods may offer more opportunities for participants. However if participants are actively involved in something which they feel will make a difference, and focus group research is often of an applied nature, empowerment can realistically be achieved. Another advantage of focus groups to clients, users, participants or consumers is that they can become a forum for change (Race et al 1994), both during the focus group meeting itself and afterwards. For example, in research conducted by Goss & Leinbach (1996), the participants in the research experienced a sense of emancipation through speaking in public and by developing reciprocal relationships with the researchers. In another study (Smith et al 1995), patients in hospital were invited to give their views about services and to provide ideas about improvements. In this instance change occurred at the management level as a direct result of patients' input. Although focus group research has many advantages, as with all research methods there are limitations. Some can be overcome by careful planning and moderating, but others are unavoidable and peculiar to this approach. The researcher, or moderator, for example, has less control over the data produced (Morgan 1988) than in either quantitative studies or one-to-one interviewing. The moderator has to allow participants to talk to each other, ask questions and express doubts and opinions, while having very little control over the interaction other than generally keeping participants focused on the topic. By its nature focus group research is open ended and cannot be entirely predetermined. It should not be assumed that the individuals in a focus group are expressing their own definitive individual view. They are speaking in a specific context, within a specific culture, and so sometimes it may be difficult for the researcher to clearly identify an individual message. This too is a potential limitation of focus groups. On a practical note, focus groups can be difficult to assemble. It may not be easy to get a representative sample and focus groups may discourage certain people from participating, for example those who are not very articulate or confident, and those who have communication problems or special needs. The method of focus group discussion may also discourage some people from trusting others with sensitive or personal information. In such cases personal interviews or the use of workbooks alongside focus groups may be a more suitable approach. Finally, focus groups are not fully confidential or anonymous, because the material is shared with the others in the group. The practical organisation of focus groups Organising focus group interviews usually requires more planning than other types of interviewing as getting people to group gatherings can be difficult and setting up appropriate venues with adequate recording facilities requires a lot of time. The recommended number of people per group is usually six to ten (MacIntosh 1993), but some researchers have used up to fifteen people (Goss & Leinbach 1996) or as few as four (Kitzinger 1995). Numbers of groups vary, some studies using only one meeting with each of several focus groups (Burgess 1996), others meeting the same group several times. Focus group sessions usually last from one to two hours. Neutral locations can be helpful for avoiding either negative or positive associations with a particular site or building (Powell & Single 1996). Otherwise the focus group meetings can be held in a variety of places, for example, people's homes, in rented facilities, or where the participants hold their regular meetings if they are a pre-existing group. It is not always easy to identify the most appropriate participants for a focus group. If a group is too heterogeneous, whether in terms of gender or class, or in terms of professional and 'lay' perspectives, the differences between participants can make a considerable impact on their contributions. Alternatively, if a group is homogenous with regard to specific characteristics, diverse opinions and experiences may not be revealed. Participants need to feel comfortable with each other. Meeting with others whom they think of as possessing similar characteristics or levels of understanding about a given topic, will be more appealing than meeting with those who are perceived to be different (Morgan 1988). Once the types of participant have been decided, locating them is the next challenge. Recruitment of participants can be time consuming, especially if the topic under consideration has no immediate benefits or attractions to participants. It is likely that people with specific interests will have to be recruited by word of mouth (Burgess 1996), through the use of key informants, by advertising or poster campaigns (Holbrook & Jackson 1996), or through existing social networks. Incentives, whether expenses, gift vouchers or presents, will usually need to be offered. The role of moderator Once a meeting has been arranged, the role of moderator or group facilitator becomes critical, especially in terms of providing clear explanations of the purpose of the group, helping people feel at ease, and facilitating interaction between group members. During the meeting moderators will need to promote debate, perhaps by asking open questions. They may also need to challenge participants, especially to draw out people's differences, and tease out a diverse range of meanings on the topic under discussion. Sometimes moderators will need to probe for details, or move things forward when the conversation is drifting or has reached a minor conclusion. Moderators also have to keep the session focused and so sometimes they may deliberately have to steer the conversation back on course. Moderators also have to ensure everyone participates and gets a chance to speak. At the same time moderators are encouraged not to show too much approval (Kreuger 1988), so as to avoid favouring particular participants. They must avoid giving personal opinions so as not to influence participants towards any particular position or opinion. The role of the moderator is a demanding and challenging one, and moderators will need to possess good interpersonal skills and personal qualities, being good listeners, non-judgmental and adaptable. These qualities will promote the participants' trust in the moderator and increase the likelihood of open, interactive dialogue. Finally, the degree of control and direction imposed by moderators will depend upon the goals of the research as well as on their preferred style. If two or more moderators are involved in the facilitation of a focus group, agreement needs to be reached as to how much input or direction each will give. It is recommended that one moderator facilitates and the other takes notes and checks the recording equipment during the meeting. There also needs to be consistency across focus groups, so careful preparation with regard to role and responsibilities is required. Ethical issues Ethical considerations for focus groups are the same as for most other methods of social research (Homan 1991). For example, when selecting and involving participants, researchers must ensure that full information about the purpose and uses of participants' contributions is given. Being honest and keeping participants informed about the expectations of the group and topic, and not pressurising participants to speak is good practice. A particular ethical issue to consider in the case of focus groups is the handling of sensitive material and confidentiality given that there will always be more than one participant in the group. At the outset moderators will need to clarify that each participant's contributions will be shared with the others in the group as well as with the moderator. Participants need to be encouraged to keep confidential what they hear during the meeting and researchers have the responsibility to anonymise data from the group. Source: http://sru.soc.surrey.ac.uk/SRU19.html

20101126 - Focus Group reporting (Iowa State Univ)

Reporting Words not Numbers In the analysis stage, survey research requires transformation of numbers with statistics (at minimum, it requires the calculation of percentages). The end result is a report featuring graphs and tables. Focus groups, on the other hand, rely upon words spoken by participants. The focus on language earns focus group methodology the label, qualitative (Creswell, 1998). A report based on focus groups will feature patterns formed by words, called themes or perspectives. Researchers must use specific methods to analyze patterns in spoken language (Creswell, 1998). Numerical analysis is not a preferred technique. In fact, it is inappropriate to report the results of focus groups by percentage (e.g., Among the five focus groups, an average of 56 percent of participants mentioned their frustration with the procedures for applying for public assistance). Instead, a focus group result might read like this: Another theme noted in focus groups on housing was the value of the (community) housing market to the participant's current home. Participants frequently mentioned the cost they had paid for their last home…and used this home's cost and amenities as a yardstick against which they measured… housing (in the community under discussion). (Larson and Hegland, 2003). The focus group data in the previous example enable the researcher to determine residents' logic in addition to their judgments. A report of results from focus groups should not present major findings via frequencies or statistics because 'counting' leads readers to believe that percentages or frequencies are true for a much wider population (which they are not). Quantitative survey researchers go to great lengths to design a study so that numerical data generalize to a wider population with mathematical precision. Focus groups method isn't meant to create generalizations of this type and its procedures offer none of the protections that would permit them to do so (Fern, 2001). Source: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/publications/pm1969b.pdf Iowa State University (2004). Focus Group Fundamentals: Methodology Brief. Iowa State University. University Extension, Iowa State University, May 2004.

20101126 - Focus Group research method (Iowa State Univ)

Focus Group Fundamentals Focus group methodology is one of several tools that educators can use to generate valid information important to the advancement of programs, communities, and organizations. This bulletin describes fundamental aspects of focus groups by distinguishing them from familiar research tools. Focus groups compared to survey methods How Focus Groups Differ from Survey Methods Insight not rules Social not individual Homogeneous not diverse Flexible not standardized Warm not hot Words not numbers Purposes 1 Insight not Rules Focus groups arguably provide researchers with more surprises than other types of research. Individuals who participate in focus group sessions aren't restricted by the "A, B, C" choices provided by the typical survey researcher. Participants generally are allowed to say anything they'd like in focus groups sessions. Focus groups therefore are considered to be naturalistic (Krueger and Casey, 2000). The researcher listens not only for the content of focus group discussions, but for emotions, ironies, contradictions, and tensions. This enables the researcher to learn or confirm not just the facts (as in survey method), but the meaning behind the facts. This is simplistic, but conveys a major advantage of focus group method: the production of insight. Survey research, on the other hand, enables researchers to make predictions about the occurrence of a phenomenon on a large scale. Survey research can predict, from a relatively small sample of responses, how many people in the nation are likely to vote for a particular presidential candidate. In this way, survey research generalizes. Generalizations that are confirmed over and over lead to the development of theories regarding human behavior. Focus groups can provide trustworthy naturalistic data that also lead to important insights about human behavior, but they aren't set up to generalize in the same way as survey research (Fern, 2001). Comment: Hence, it would be a good idea to employ both focus group and questionnaire survey methods for a study (or a pair of studies). 2 Social not Individual The focus group is a type of group interview. If there's no group, there is no focus group. The social, semi-public nature of the methodology shapes the data and the purposes that it serves. In a focus group session, conversation among participants results in data that are "talk." In this way, focus groups elicit information that paints a portrait of combined local perspectives. The researcher can see how it "all fi ts together" (for example, Duncan and Marotz-Baden, 1999). However, focus group methodology is not a reliable technique for determining an individual's authentic point of view. Social norms get in the way. For example, during a focus group, a participant may affirm another participant by saying, "Right! Couldn't have said it better." However, the analyst must not assume that the individual has provided their final opinion on the matter. It is plausible that the individual was being supportive rather than honest. The noisy social environment of focus groups also makes it an inappropriate setting in which to assess an individual's knowledge of content (Krueger and Casey, 2000). It is possible to gauge a groups' overall reaction to educational materials (see for example, Nordstrom et al., 2000), but not on an individual basis. To assess an individual's understanding of content matter, assess their knowledge in a quiet setting on an individual basis. Comments: Silence is not consent. Focus group is good for the group's overall opinions. One-to-one interview is good for to gauge the individual's opinion. Procedures 1 Homogenous not Diverse It makes good sense, when developing programs, to elicit as many points of view as possible. Focus groups do this well. However, one might assume that focus groups accomplish this by inviting a highly diverse group of people to participate in the same session. Regrettably, this doesn't work very well. Instead, focus group researchers select and invite 20-25 people with similar characteristics to a single session. The goal is to fill the room with a minimum of 10-12 participants that are similar (Krueger and Casey, 2000). Even when incentives are provided, such as refreshments, child care, or stipends, no-shows are common, so don't get caught short. Composing a group with highly different characteristics will decrease the quality of the data. Individuals will tend to censor their ideas in the presence of people who differ greatly from them in power, status, job, income, education, or personal characteristics. To get a cross section of views from a diverse population using focus group method, it is necessary to conduct multiple sessions. To understand the perspectives of a different group of people, compose multiple focus groups on the same topic. For the next group, also invite people who are alike; however, they will be 'similar' according to a different criterion. This procedure explains why professional researchers typically report results from a series of sessions rather than from a single focus group session. Although it is common practice to conduct a single focus group session, the data may not be reliable. For example, in an evaluation report of a retreat for environmental educators, the moderator conducted separate focus groups for first time attendees and for participants who had attended for many years (Eells, 2002). The key to deciding which features are important to keep the same or vary depends on the type of community and the topic of the focus group. 2 Flexible not Standardized Focus group method strives to produce good conversation on a given topic. Good conversation ebbs and flows. Individuals laugh, tell personal stories, revisit an earlier question, disagree, contradict themselves, and interrupt. However, the researcher must balance the needs of participants to 'have their say' against the need to stay focused. A focus group moderator wants both natural features of conversation as well as focused discussion in the course of a two-hour session. The moderator accomplishes this balancing act by using an interview guide (Morgan and Krueger, 1998). A well-designed guide assists group members to relax, open up, think deeply, and consider alternatives. A good design also allows for synergy to occur, which produces greater insight due to the fact that participants work together during the session. Questions in an interview guide fl ow from general to specific. They invite openness and avoid bias. However, it is a mistake to apply the guide as if it were a multiple choice test or phone interview. The prize does not go to the swift or the efficient. Avoid sounding mechanical and list-like. The result of a focus group should not be a series of short burst responses. A final difference from normal conversation is the fact that focus group sessions are typically audio taped and transcribed. 3 Warm not Hot Focus groups produce conversations that border on intimacy. One might assume that focus groups therefore can be used to investigate private topics or subjects that people feel deeply about. The rule of thumb is that the topic can be warm but not hot. Consider that conversation in many cultures avoids conflict. Consider also that individuals are adept at changing the subject away from overtly private matters, like sex and salaries. In general, people strive to be polite. Therefore, focus groups do not produce reliable data on topics that produce extremely strong feelings (Krueger and Casey, 2000). Whereas a focus group about weight loss programming might succeed if participants are carefully chosen and purposefully invited, it would likely not work to convene focus groups with victims of domestic violence and expect them to discuss their individual experiences. Source: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/publications/pm1969b.pdf Iowa State University (2004). Focus Group Fundamentals: Methodology Brief. Iowa State University. University Extension, Iowa State University, May 2004.

20101126 - Focus Group - a qualitative research (Kitzinger)

Qualitative Research: Introducing focus groups Jenny Kitzinger, research fellow Glasgow University Media Group, Department of Sociology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8LF This paper introduces focus group methodology, gives advice on group composition, running the groups, and analysing the results. Focus groups have advantages for researchers in the field of health and medicine: they do not discriminate against people who cannot read or write and they can encourage participation from people reluctant to be interviewed on their own or who feel they have nothing to say. Rationale and uses of focus groups Focus groups are a form of group interview that capitalises on communication between research participants in order to generate data. Although group interviews are often used simply as a quick and convenient way to collect data from several people simultaneously, focus groups explicitly use group interaction as part of the method. This means that instead of the researcher asking each person to respond to a question in turn, people are encouraged to talk to one another: asking questions, exchanging anecdotes and commenting on each other's experiences and points of view.1 The method is particularly useful for exploring people's knowledge and experiences and can be used to examine not only what people think but how they think and why they think that way. The idea behind the focus group method is that group processes can help people to explore and … Source: http://www.bmj.com/content/311/7000/299.extract

20101126 – Focus Group research methodology (UpFront Consulting)

A research method Focus group research is a qualitative research method. It seeks to gather information that is beyond the scope of quantitative research !mail and telephone surveys and the like". The term "focus group" is often used to describe many types of group discussions. Focus group research, however, is a true research method. As such, it uses a fairly standard methodology. Our methodology draws heavily on the work of Richard Krueger, from the University of Minnesota. The purpose of the methodology is to make sure that the information that is collected is not biased by the researcher, is a true representation of participants' feelings and beliefs, and is reproducible! in other words, if another researcher conducted the same focus group, he or she would obtain similar results. Question design The question path is open-ended, designed to gather ideas and opinions that are outside the scope of prepared questions, in addition to testing a series of prepared hypotheses. Participant selection Since focus group results are not quantifiable, rigid random selection is not always necessary. The best results are usually obtained when the group has some homogenous aspects, such as a common profession or interest. Group size Traditionally, focus groups of eight to ten participants were considered ideal & giving a variety of viewpoints while making sure that everyone has a chance to participate. A number of researchers are now working with 5 to 7-person groups, especially if the topic is complex, or if there is a lot of ground to cover. Facility The group should be held at a neutral site, so participants feel comfortable discussing sensitive issues. A focus group facility with observation area can be used if available, and if budget allows. Otherwise, any conference-style room can be used. An oval table is preferable, because it allows all participants to see and interact with each other. Refreshments of some type are usually served, to create an informal, comfortable atmosphere. Group length Most groups last from one and one-half to two hours. Groups with adolescents should be shorter, generally no more than one hour. Facilitator and observer The methodology we use includes the use of both a facilitator and an observer. The role of the facilitator is to keep the group on task, while making sure that divergent viewpoints and ideas are heard. The facilitator is also responsible for making sure that less vocal and less assertive group members have a chance to participate. The observer's role is to record the focus group, taking notes to supplement the audio and/or video record. The observer pays special attention to non-verbal cues that indicate agreement or disagreement, interest or disinterest, and the like. Reporting Shortly after the sessions, the facilitator and the observer prepare a narrative report. For some groups, where the information is needed quickly, a debriefing session is held immediately following the group, with facilitator, observer and client participating. Transcripts of the groups are sometimes produced as part of the record. Audio taping is standard, used by the researchers in writing the report and often reviewed by clients. Videotaping is also common; audio or video clips can be useful for sharing results when confidentiality is not an issue. Source: http://www.upfrontconsultingmn.com/assets/newsletters/Focus_group_research.pdf

20101126 - Focus Group research methodology (Wikipedia, Usability.gov, Edmunds)

Focus Group A focus group is a form of qualitative research in which a group of people are asked about their perceptions, opinions, beliefs and attitudes towards a product, service, concept, advertisement, idea, or packaging.[1] Questions are asked in an interactive group setting where participants are free to talk with other group members. The first focus groups were created at the Bureau of Applied Social Research by associate director, sociologist Robert K. Merton.[2] The term itself was coined by psychologist and marketing expert Ernest Dichter.[3] In the social sciences and urban planning, focus groups allow interviewers to study people in a more natural setting than a one-to-one interview. In combination with participant observation, they can be used for gaining access to various cultural and social groups, selecting sites to study, sampling of such sites, and raising unexpected issues for exploration. Focus groups have a high apparent validity - since the idea is easy to understand, the results are believable. Also, they are low in cost, one can get results relatively quickly, and they can increase the sample size of a report by talking with several people at once.[4] In the Usability engineering, focus group is a survey method to collect the views of users on a software or website. This marketing method can be applied to computer products to better understand the motivations of users and their perception of the product. Unlike other methods of ergonomics, focus group implies several participants: users or future users of the application. The focus group can only collect subjective data, not objective data on the use of the application as the usability test for example[5]. In the world of marketing, focus groups are seen as an important tool for acquiring feedback regarding new products, as well as various topics. In particular, focus groups allow companies wishing to develop, package, name, or test market a new product, to discuss, view, and/or test the new product before it is made available to the public. This can provide invaluable information about the potential market acceptance of the product. Focus Group is an interview, conducted by a trained moderator among a small group of respondents. The interview is conducted in an unstructured and natural way where respondents are free to give views from any aspect. Variants of focus groups include: Two-way focus group - one focus group watches another focus group and discusses the observed interactions and conclusion Dual moderator focus group - one moderator ensures the session progresses smoothly, while another ensures that all the topics are covered Dueling moderator focus group - two moderators deliberately take opposite sides on the issue under discussion Respondent moderator focus group - one and only one of the respondents are asked to act as the moderator temporarily Client participant focus groups - one or more client representatives participate in the discussion, either covertly or overtly Mini focus groups - groups are composed of four or five members rather than 6 to 12 Teleconference focus groups - telephone network is used Online focus groups - computers connected via the internet are used Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focus_group Focus Group Focus group is a moderated discussion among eight to 12 users or potential users of your site. A typical focus group lasts about two hours and covers a range of topics that you decide on beforehand. Focus groups are a traditional market research technique, so marketing departments are often more familiar with focus groups than with usability testing or contextual interviews. However, the techniques produce different kinds of information. In a typical focus group, participants talk; you hear them tell you about their work. In a typical usability test or contextual interview, users act; you watch (and listen to) them doing their work. You will learn about user's attitudes, beliefs, desires, and their reactions to ideas or to prototypes. What you do not learn is how users really work with Web sites and what problems users really have with those sites. Conducting Focus Groups You will need to select representative participants who match the users you want to come to your Web site. You will need to decide what you want to learn and write a 'script' for the moderator to follow. Hiring a skill moderator to facilitate the discussion will help insure that everyone participates and the group stays on track. The script gives the moderator questions to ask and topics to cover. Allowing the moderator flexibility will allow him to change the order of questions and topics to keep the discussion flowing smoothly. Tape the sessions and have one or more note takers. Source: http://www.usability.gov/methods/analyze_current/learn/focus.html Focus Group Principles By Holly Edmunds Holly Edmunds is Managing Partner of RS Consulting USA, LLC. Prior to joining the RS team, Ms. Edmunds was Market Research Manager for Xerox Engineering Systems and as Primary Research Specialist for Hewlett-Packard. What is a focus group? Focus groups are a form of qualitative research; a loosely structured means of obtaining opinions related to a specific topic. Groups usually consist of eight to ten people recruited and brought together based on pre-specified qualifications. Focus groups are typically conducted in-person at a research facility, but more recently telefocus groups (via telephone conferencing) and Internet focus groups have become more popular. Generally two or more focus groups are conducted as part of a given study in order to provide comparisons between groups for greater detail in the research analysis. When to Use Focus Groups There are a wide variety of uses for focus groups. The most common uses are: Testing advertising copy or marketing promotions Positioning products or services Testing new concepts Testing usability of a product Focus groups also can be used to generate ideas in a group brainstorming session. They are frequently utilized in developing questionnaires. By getting feedback in advance from people representative of those you hope to target with a survey, you can better word your questions and design clearer explanations of your concepts. When to Avoid Focus Groups While there are many instances where focus group research is helpful, there are equally as many situations where you should not use this methodology. Above all, it is important to remember that focus groups should not be used to make a final decision. Results of focus groups are not statistically valid and should be used more as a thermometer to test the temperature of the market rather than as a ruler to provide precise measurements. Likewise, the following represent good examples of when to avoid using focus groups: When you need a numerical response to questions like "what percentage…?" or "how many…?" Focus groups do not provide quantitative results. When you need to explore issues that are very personal or sensitive in nature. People are not really comfortable discussing personal topics in a group situation. When you want to set prices for your products or your services. Again, these results are not quantitative in nature hence it is not advisable to make final pricing decisions based on small group responses. When you cannot afford a survey. Focus groups are not a replacement for a survey. If what you really need are statistically valid results, consider a shorter survey or slightly reduced sample size, but do not rely on qualitative to give you the detail you require. When you want to validate internal decisions that cannot (or will not) be changed based on the results of the focus groups. If you will not be able to incorporate the results of the focus groups into product development, advertising design, etc., then there is no sense in conducting the groups in the first place. Finally, before you opt to conduct focus groups, be certain that your audience (those people who will review and use the results of the study) are completely familiar with the type of results focus groups produce. If they expect to receive detailed graphs and tables, it may be very difficult to explain how to use qualitative data that will seem more vague in comparison. Source: http://web.archive.org/web/20041026140011/http://www.marketingpower.com/content1293.php